News

Milford Haven: Warrant issued after struck-off solicitor failed to attend court

Published

11 years ago

January 23, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Eaves Solicitors: Closed in December 2012

A WARRANT was issued on Thursday (Jan 22) for the arrest of a solicitor who used money from a dead woman’s estate to bulk up his company accounts.

Simon Griffiths, 52, who ran Eaves Solicitors in Milford Haven was struck-off the roll by a Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal in October 2013. Griffiths failed to attend Llanelli Magistrates’ Court to answer a charge of false accounting, and one further charge of abuse of position.

The chairman of the bench at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court issued a warrant for the immediate arrest of the former lawyer, and the police were informed.

Griffiths, from Pembroke, was arrested and appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court today (Jan 23) to confirm his name and address.

Griffiths’ case will now be dealt with at Swansea Crown Court on Jan 30.

Griffiths was hauled before the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal fifteen months ago, after concerns were raised about his practice at Eaves Solicitors in Milford Haven.

Facing charges: Simon Griffiths

He faced a number of allegations, including failing to fulfill and undertaking and misleading another firm of solicitors, which were found proved. At the beginning of 2011, Griffiths was instructed in the sale of house and undertook the duty to discharge the mortgage before the completion of the sale in April 2011.

However, despite giving repeated assurances to the purchasers’ solicitors, he failed to do so, the tribunal found. “On April 5, a day before completion, Eaves solicitors Mr Griffiths, gave a written undertaking to redeem the Bank of Scotland charge, to provide confirmation of discharge, as the sale was received by the mortgagees,” said Geoff Hudson for the SRA.

He said Eaves Solicitors had received around £100,000 from the sale of another property, but that it would not have been enough to discharge the Bank of Scotland mortgage.

“What sums that had been received were taken for the benefit of the company of which Griffiths was sole director,” Mr Hudson said. He added that one of the accounts ledgers at Eaves did not “meet the required standards” in terms of the information that it contained, and showed money being transferred into the accounts of companies for which Griffiths was the director. The panel was also told that during the sale of the house, Griffiths had twice “misleadingly” wrote to the solicitors of the purchasers to say that he had fulfilled his duty when he had not.

Mr Hudson said: “We say he knew when he wrote those letters because of the pressure and the threat to report to the SRA and to deflect the pressure in misleading them that the mortgage had been redeemed and that the problem was the mortgagee. “We say for a solicitor to mislead another in that way would be seen by reasonable and honest people as being dishonest behaviour.”

The tribunal heard that up until Monday (October 21) the mortgage had still not been discharged. In August 2012 a forensic financial investigation into the running of Eaves solicitors was launched after an allegation surfaced about the transfer of £30,000 from a client’s estate into a company account for which Griffiths was director. The woman, known only as Mrs Ward-Jones, had died and left an estate worth around £150,000 to her two sisters, one of whom, Christine Sheridan, was in a care home. Eaves accounts showed an entry in the July 31 ledger that £30,000 had been paid out as an “interim distribution” to Ms Sheridan’s account.

Financial investigator for the SRA, Oliver Baker, told the hearing that Griffiths’ book-keeper had first raised concerns about practice at the firm. “The firm’s book-keeper pulled me to one side and asked me to look at it as he had not seen supported documentation in relation to the transfer, and I believe he had some concerns about the state of the firm and Griffiths at the time.”

He added that the book-maker was also concerned because he had seen some documentation suggesting the firm might have to close down, but that this was not communicated to him. Mr Baker eventually discovered that although Griffiths had tried to hide the transaction in a paper trail, the sum of £30,000 had in fact gone to an account for Harwood Court Ltd, a company at which Griffiths was the director. “We say for a solicitor to use client monies for his own purposes is seen by reasonable and honest people to be dishonest behaviour,” Mr Hudson said.

Griffiths, who did not attend the central London hearing and was not represented, admitted all of the allegations apart from those relating to account issues. He claimed that at the time of his misconduct he has been suffering from a personality disorder, but the panel found there was not enough evidence to support this. He was found guilty of all the allegations and struck off. Griffiths was also ordered to pay £31,200 in costs.

Finding that Griffith had acted dishonestly, panel chair Dominic Green said: “We have considered this matter carefully on the respondent’s absence.

The seriousness of the misconduct was of the highest level and that a lesser sanction than striking off is not appropriate. “The decision today is that the first respondent is struck off. We have decided that, for protection of the public, and the protection of the reputation of the profession.” Griffiths’ wife, Sarah, and partner firm was initially named as a respondent in the proceedings, but parties reached an agreement with relation to her involvement.

Have you been affected by Eaves Solicitors closure? Please contact The Herald on 01646 45 45 45.

Crime

Train disruption after youths seen playing on tracks at Haverfordwest station

Published

8 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police attend after dangerous incident involving football on railway line

TRAINS were delayed at Haverfordwest railway station on Tuesday (Apr 1) after a group of youths were seen playing with a football near live tracks, prompting a police response.

Footage captured by a bystander shows several young people on the platform throwing and kicking a ball across the station. In one clip, a youth is seen kicking a football from Platform 2 towards Platform 1, but the ball overshoots and lands beyond a fence into the station car park.

More concerning footage shows the ball rolling onto the railway line, with one youth climbing down onto the tracks to retrieve it—an act that poses serious risk of injury or death due to live rails and the potential for oncoming trains.

The incident caused disruption to services, with two trains delayed by 25 minutes while the situation was dealt with.

Police attended the scene, although it is not yet clear whether any arrests were made. Officers have been approached for comment.

Railway safety rules strictly prohibit access to the tracks except by authorised personnel, and incidents such as this are treated seriously due to the potentially fatal consequences.

The Herald understands that such behaviour can also lead to significant disruption across the rail network, affecting passengers and services well beyond the immediate area.

Anyone with further information about the incident is urged to contact police.

Business

Haverfordwest producers showcased by Tesco in national Welsh food event

Published

9 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Local firms highlighted as supermarket giant backs £27bn Welsh food sector

HAVERFORDWEST food producers were among those selected to take centre stage at a national showcase celebrating the very best of Welsh food and drink.

Supermarket giant Tesco hosted the St David’s Day event in partnership with the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales initiative, bringing together leading suppliers from across the country.

Two Pembrokeshire-based businesses — Blas y Tir, part of Pembrokeshire Creameries, and Puffin Produce, both based in Haverfordwest — were among those chosen to represent Welsh produce on a national stage.The event, held to mark St David’s Day, showcased a wide range of products including dairy, baked goods, meats, curries and spirits, highlighting the breadth and quality of food produced across Wales.

Organisers said the showcase underlined the importance of supporting local suppliers, many of which are family-run businesses rooted in their communities and reliant on local agriculture.

The Welsh food and drink supply chain is estimated to be worth £27 billion, with companies like those in Pembrokeshire playing a key role in sustaining rural jobs and supporting farmers.

Visitors to the event were given the opportunity to meet producers and sample products, while a surprise performance from Welsh singers added a cultural element to the day’s celebrations.

Enfys Fox, relationship manager for local sourcing at Tesco Wales, said: “St David’s Day is a time to celebrate everything that makes Wales special, and our suppliers are at the very heart of that story.

“This event was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible range, quality and heritage of Welsh produce available in our stores.

“We are incredibly proud to collaborate with the Welsh Government and work with so many dedicated Welsh suppliers, many of them family businesses with deep roots in their communities. By supporting them, we’re not only bringing great products to our customers, but also investing in local jobs and the wider Welsh economy.”

The Herald understands that products from Pembrokeshire suppliers featured at the event are widely stocked in Tesco stores across Wales, giving local shoppers direct access to locally sourced goods.

While the showcase celebrated success, it also highlighted the growing importance of ensuring Welsh producers continue to secure fair opportunities within major retail supply chains.

The event formed part of Tesco’s wider commitment to strengthening partnerships with Welsh suppliers and promoting locally sourced food throughout the year.

Health

Paramedic recruitment freeze confirmed in internal email to students

Published

9 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

‘No jobs in 2026–27’ as graduates told service has ‘more paramedics than required’

AN INTERNAL email sent to student paramedics has confirmed that no newly qualified paramedics will be recruited in Wales during the 2026–27 financial year, escalating concerns over workforce planning in the NHS.

The message, seen by The Herald, was sent to final-year students following a board meeting of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust on March 26.

It confirms that the trust “does not require any NQPs” this year, stating the decision is based on affordability and workforce restructuring.

The development follows reporting by BBC Wales that students had already been advised to seek work overseas.

‘Simply not affordable’

In the email, the ambulance service states:
“Employing NQPs in 2026 is simply not affordable… No extra funding has been made available by Welsh Government or our commissioners.”

It adds that a review of workforce needs concluded:
“We currently have more paramedics than required and enough lead practitioners to fill any short to medium term vacancies.”

Students say they have also been told the service is aiming to reduce paramedic numbers, despite ongoing delays in ambulance response times across Wales.

Graduates left without roles

Around 70 students are expected to graduate this year from Swansea University and Wrexham University.

Training is heavily subsidised by Healthcare Education and Improvement Wales, with costs estimated by students at around £50,000 per person.

Despite this investment, graduates have now been told to consider employment outside Wales—or even overseas—to begin their careers.

Patient care concerns raised

Students have warned the decision could impact patient care if fewer fully qualified paramedics are deployed on the frontline.

They say being redirected into lower-grade roles means their full clinical training will not be used.

One student told The Herald: “We are ready to go straight into frontline care. Instead, we’re being told to look abroad. It doesn’t make sense.”

Government under pressure

A Welsh Government response seen by The Herald acknowledges the issue and says ministers are working with the ambulance service and universities to support affected graduates.

However, the internal email suggests the decision is already firm for the coming financial year.

The Herald has approached the Welsh Government and the Welsh Ambulance Service for further comment.